Program Overview

Imaging Physics Residency Program

About the Program

The Imaging Physics Residency Program is a clinical training program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for medical physicists who intend to work in diagnostic imaging or Nuclear Medicine physics. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Program (CAMPEP).

Program Introduction

The majority of the Imaging Physics Residency Program Faculty are located at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the Department of Imaging Physics, with some program faculty located at other hospitals in the prestigious Texas Medical Center. All of our faculty hold national board certification from the American Board of Radiology, the American Board of Medical Physics, the American Board of Science in Nuclear Medicine, or a combination of these certifications.

Objectives

The mission of our program is to provide residents with structured training that will prepare them to work in diagnostic imaging or nuclear medicine as a professional medical physicist. The program offers a two-year clinical residency training or a three-year hybrid residency training (hybrid pathway). The mission of the hybrid pathway is to provide combined clinical and research training to residents who aim to practice professional imaging physics in an academic environment.

• The program objectives are consistent with the CAMPEP requirement, which includes the development in the resident of:
  • an understanding of the role of patient safety in the clinical practice of imaging and nuclear physics
  • the technical knowledge, skills, and competency required for the safe application of the technologies used in the practice of imaging and nuclear physics
  • an appreciation of the clinical purpose and applications of sophisticated technologies
  • an understanding of the protocols and practices essential to the employment of technologies to detect, diagnose, and treat various illnesses and injuries
  • the ability to use analytical and research methods to solve problems arising in the clinical environment
  • the ability to deploy new strategies within the clinical environment
  • the ability to critically evaluate research and scholarship in medical physics
  • the communication and interpersonal skills that are necessary to function in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment
  • the professional attributes and the ethical conduct and actions that are required of medical physicists
  • a valuing of career-long continuing education to keep professional knowledge and skills current

Diagnostic Physics Program

Residents, under the supervision of board-certified medical physicists, will participate in the routine clinical duties of a medical imaging physicist and clinical projects during various clinical rotations. The training program will generally commence on July 1. Incoming residents first participate in a two-month clinical orientation.

• Examples of clinical duties in the clinical rotations include:
  • evaluation of medical imaging equipment performance
  • development of quality control procedures
  • estimation of patient radiation dose
  • protocol design
  • investigation of abnormal radiation exposures
  • consultation regarding technical aspects of equipment purchase
  • evaluation of image quality and artifacts
  • consultation on radiation safety and MRI safety
  • in-service instruction on radiation safety and imaging physics
  • clinical investigations in medical imaging physics
  • facility site planning, shielding design, inspection, and verification

Nuclear Medicine Emphasis

Optional specialization in Nuclear medicine (NM) physics is provided for residents that express interest in this area of specialization. In this case, residents must declare their interest by the end of their first round of clinical rotations.

• The additional months of NM/PET training will be dedicated for in-depth experience in the physics of NM/PET fundamentals; image acquisition, reconstruction, and post-processing/analysis; radiopharmaceutical biodistribution and dosimetry; radioactive patient release; radionuclide therapy and treatment planning; and NM/PET facility shielding

Hybrid Pathway (Clinical + Research)

A training opportunity has been created for an outstanding medical physics graduate to pursue both residency training and research in the Department of Imaging Physics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

• Over a 3-year period, the successful candidate will spend 1 year equivalent in a mutually agreed-upon area of biomedical imaging research and complete 2 year equivalent clinical residency training to meet the clinical experience requirements of the American Board of Radiology for national board certification

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I apply to the Imaging Physics Residency Program at MD Anderson? The best way to apply for the residency position is to use The Medical Physics Residency Application Program (MP-RAP) administered through the AAPM.
• Does our program accept both M.S. and Ph.D. applicants? Both M.S. and Ph.D. applicants may apply for the 2-year residency position. However, our program currently prioritizes the hybrid fellowship pathway, which requires a Ph.D. degree.
• How many residents are accepted each year? Typically, two or three residents per year are accepted into the program.
• What factors are considered for admission?
  • Academic background and performance
  • Honors and awards for academic achievement
  • Performance in graduate courses
  • Current letters of recommendation
  • Statement of purpose
  • Expressed commitment to a career involving clinical medical physics

Resident Resources

• Resident Handbook
• Program of Study
• CAMPEP Required Admissions Data
• AAPM Report 249 Essentials and Guidelines for Clinical Medical Physics Residency Training Programs